Summer is here (in New England) and we love all the fresh fruit that is available around this time of year. There are so many more choices for salads, desserts and salsas. A few years ago we came upon some fruit salsa recipes, but once you get the basic recipe down, it's easy to create your own.
I knew we were grilling scallops for dinner and I wanted something refreshing to go with it. I arrived at the grocery store to pick up a few last minute items and peaches were on sale. They were next to the kiwi and before I knew it, I had a pineapple, mango, peaches and kiwi in my cart. A red bell pepper, purple onion and a bunch of cilantro and I was ready to go.
When creating a fruit salsa, it's a combination of fruits and vegetables. There is normally a pepper and onion added to balance the sweetness and acidity of the fruit. I use a red bell pepper, since it is sweeter (plus, I like the color) and a red onion because I like the raw flavor over the white and yellow onions. I also try to put a citrus fruit in the recipe to help preserve the salsa.
Here is my Pineapple Peach Mango Salsa
1 pineapple, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 mango, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
3 kiwi, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2 peaches, pitted and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 of a large red onion, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup of olive oil
Rind from 1/2 of lime
The juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
A pinch of salt...to taste
Mix all ingredients together and let them chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This helps the flavors to meld together.
Here are a few things you can use the Pineapple Peach Mango Salsa with:
1. Tortilla Chips - Better than regular salsa, especially when it is warm outside, this is very refreshing. It complemented our Zen Sangria. My sister, Karen, joined us and with every chip she dipped she would say, "This is amazing!"
2. Jasmine Rice - We make the rice plain and then add a few heaping tablespoons at the end to give the rice some subtle fruit flavor.
3. Side Dish - Use with seafood and chicken dishes. The night we made this salsa, we grilled scallops.
4. Quinoa - Cook the quinoa according to directions and then add to the dish, similar to the rice.
It's fun to be creative with fruit salsas...what is your favorite? And how do you like to serve it?
We would love to hear from you!
